ISLAMABAD:Pakistan Railways (PR) had so far upgraded around 630 coaches from its own resources to increase revenue of the department and facilitate its passengers for comfortable travel during the last three and half years.
An official of PR said that 168 coaches were upgraded in 2016-17, 192 in 2017-18 and 260 coaches in 2018-19, while taking several steps to improve financial position of the organisation included starting of new trains with the same rolling stock and human resources.
PR was also planning to repair another 472 coaches which were either out of service or non-functional since long and required heavy or light maintenance.
Giving details about the repair, the official said that 39 coaches of PR were under survey of condemnations being over-aged and beyond economical repair.
The official said that 205 coaches were available in the workshops under periodical overhauling and repair while around 228 coaches available in Lahore division and in Carriage Factory and C&W Shops held up since long for repairs.
To a question, he said that Pakistan Locomotive Factory, Risalpur had manufactured 102 new locomotives at a cost Rs 18.155 billion which includes foreign exchange of Rs 12.339 billion since 1993.
He said the factory’s up-gradation plan would be executed in the forthcoming manufacturing plan of locomotives as per requirement of PR.
The official said the feasibility study of the up-gradation of Locomotives Factory, Risalpur was under process and would be completed as soon as possible.
He said it was incorrect that the factory was in dilapidated condition as it was commissioned in 1992 and fully equipped to undertake manufacturing and fabrication work of locomotives and rolling stock.
He said that 26 locomotives had been rehabilitated at a cost of Rs 63.485 million. Some 242 old accidental locomotives have been repaired at a cost of Rs 525.069 million in the factory.
Giving details about the projects executed by the factory, he said that since January 2014, around 133 locomotives had been purchased (58 Chinese & 75 USA) at the cost of $116.85 million and 273.772 million respectively.
778